Patient access to health records., the official text

An act to amend Section 123100 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to public health.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

Existing law generally governs a patient’s access to the patient’s own health records. Existing law establishes procedures for providing access to health care records or summaries of those records by patients and by those persons who have responsibility for decisions regarding the health care of others, as described. Existing law sets forth the Legislature’s findings and declarations regarding the right of access to that information, as specified.
This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to those findings and declarations.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.
Section 123100 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:
123100.
(a) The Legislature finds and declares that every person who has ultimate responsibility for decisions respecting their own health care also possesses a concomitant right of access to complete information regarding their condition and care provided. Similarly, a person who has responsibility for decisions regarding the health care of another person should, in general, have access to information regarding the patient’s condition and care.
(b) It is, therefore, the intent of the Legislature in enacting this chapter to establish procedures for providing access to health care records or summaries of those records by patients and by those persons who have responsibility for decisions regarding the health care of others.